


Operation Triple B

by deirdre_the_elusive_neko



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: #bestlove, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bernie self-love, Black Eagles Centric, Clueless Byleth, Comedy, F/F, Fire Emblem For the Gays, Fluff and Humor, Gay Panic, Grad students just wanna have fun, Mentioned Lysithea von Ordelia, Minor Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring, Minor Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Minor Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, Pining, Rainbow Eagles, Some mentions of other pairings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25541188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdre_the_elusive_neko/pseuds/deirdre_the_elusive_neko
Summary: Professor Byleth Eisner is Garreg Mach University’s most beloved faculty member. And none love her more than her dedicated and loyal band of colorful graduate TAs: The renown, self-proclaimed Black Eagles.So when the professor suddenly announces her departure to leave the university, the team does whatever they can to convince the professor to say.Also known as, Edelgard has one last chance and becomes determined to finally own up to her feelings.-----University AU but world elements like crests and magic still exist.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 9
Kudos: 101





	1. Edelgard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings! This is my first fic as Deirdre the Elusive Neko.
> 
> My obsession with Fire Emblem during these trying times needed an outlet, so it culminated into this incoherent mess below (inspired by other fics I've read). This fic will mainly center around the Black Eagles as a whole because I love them, and CF ruined all other routes for me.
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy. Stay safe and healthy out there, folks. Wear a mask!

“Edelgard, you already know a lot about me.”

“Oh? Hm. Well, I still believe it’s important for your story to be heard and tol-”

“Look. I’m already helping Linhardt with his research and I don’t have a lot of time as is.” There was some shuffling. “And I’d like to see that one through. Not that yours is any less important but you know,” the young woman’s resolute voice softened. “I’ll let you know when I have time.” 

A crackling noise and then a beep. Edelgard sighed as she turned off the tape recorder and pulled out her earphones. She leaned back in her chair and frowned.

Damn.

Getting Lysithea to agree for an interview was already a difficult feat. The woman was extremely busy and had little patience. Edelgard should have known that any more than that would’ve been difficult. She knew Lysithea’s story -- in fact, that was why she wanted to include the Dark Magic graduate in her studies -- but the younger woman thought redundancy was a waste of breath. Why retell a story Edelgard already knew? 

Edelgard couldn’t blame her. But this would’ve really been a compelling part of her research.

Edelgard turned to the piles of books and paper in the corner of her apartment and groaned. She turned back to her laptop which had an editor pulled up and 4 pages of transcribed interviews. Well, it only covered half-an-interview really. Barely a dent in her interview archives.

It was times like these where she seriously questioned her decision to pursue a PhD. The endless papers. The agonizingly long hours. The grading. The arduous transcribing. Some days she wished she could just lay on her couch for an entire week and do nothing but eat sweets and watch TV.

She chuckled. Lysithea shared that trait with her, and Edelgard found it to be another reason why she felt so fond of the woman.

 _Maybe next time I’ll just invite her to cake and tea_ , she thought to herself. Edelgard’s violet eyes widened. _Cake!_ A small grin spread on her face. _Bingo._

Edelgard knew she could be a persistent pain in the ass but was determined to finish this year with a complete dissertation. A renewed fire ignited within her. She was going to help bring about change and dismantle the crest system -- Dean be damned.

It usually only took a couple seconds for her to be reminded of her purpose. So with that, she stretched, popped her earphones back in, rewinded the tape recorder, and got back to work.

* * *

Garreg Mach University was the premiere research institution in all of Fódlan, and while Edelgard had her initial reservations, she was extremely grateful to have been accepted into the Crest program there. She was a PhD candidate in the Crest program, researching the violence and classism crests brought to the world.

It was a bit rebellious, Edelgard liked to think. But then again, she had a knack for those types of things.

It wasn’t just the abundance of resources and amazing facilities GMU had to offer that made her choose to stay. She had spent her undergrad there, meeting people and forging friendships she never dreamed of while growing up. After a spell of loneliness and isolation that followed her into her teenage years, Edelgard did not once look back. She had a home here. A family. 

Of course, she had Hubert all those years and she was grateful. But both of them learned in their undergraduate years that sometimes, it was okay to lean on others. She laughed. Their younger selves would probably say they had gotten soft.

Dorothea, Ferdinand, Petra, Caspar, Bernadetta, Linhardt. The odd motley crew, thrown together as freshmen and seemingly destined to never get along. Edelgard remembered the times when Dorothea would throw scathing jabs at Ferdinand, when Caspar avoided Petra, and when Bernadetta would hide in her room. It took time and guidance from a certain blue-haired woman to bring them together.

Edelgard smiled. The Professor.

The other reason why she had stayed at Garreg Mach University.

Edelgard was doubtful of the woman at first, since she was only a few years older than herself. However, the ex-mercenary proved herself to be an excellent professor, mentor, and friend. Edelgard couldn’t help but respect and admire her.

Patient, kind, gentle yet firm. Always willing to lend an ear and time for her students’ troubles, and somehow with her understanding, she had bridged all of them together. Now, a life without the team seemed undesirable, inconceivable.

A life without the professor...Edelgard shook her head. _Think of something else. Focus on the good things. What you have right now._

Her mind drifted back to the woman. Soft, sweet, strange Byleth. The Byleth that would sit by the docks after lecture and just fish for hours. The Byleth that somehow knew everyone’s favorite flower and spent time planting them in the greenhouse. The Byleth that was always on the go, sprinting across campus, sweat dripping off her toned body. Edelgard closed her eyes, sleep threatening to take her at any second.

Her toned body…

Edelgard’s eyes shot wide open, and she blushed furiously. _Stay focused, Edelgard._

She checked the time. 4:30 am. Monday. She slapped a hand to her face and groaned.

* * *

Edelgard felt a loud ping and vibration from under her arm. She lifted her head groggily and rubbed her eyes, a headache slowly pulsing its way to her temples. 

She looked at the drool on her sleeve and grimaced. She had fallen asleep at her desk again while slogging through transcriptions. Her back and neck were going to ache like hell.

She glanced at her phone and saw it light up with a message. Still half-asleep, she clumsily placed her thumb on the pad to unlock it and clicked on the notification.

_Hey Edie, late for class are we ;) - Dorothea_

It took a few seconds before Edelgard’s eyes shot open. 

_Oh, fuck. The lecture._

Edelgard’s heart beat rapidly as she scrambled to put her textbook and laptop in her bag. She hastily put on a button-up silk long sleeve, some carefully pressed black dress pants she had hanging, and black pointed flats. Edelgard thanked her past self for being prepared, and she thanked past-Hubert for ironing her pants. In 5 minutes, she was out the door. She didn’t have time to do her hair because goddess-be-damned, she wasn’t going to be late as the guest lecturer for today’s Battle Tactics 205 class.

Edelgard entered the main lecture hall at 8:13 breathing heavily. She was lucky she lived so close to the university. She had 2 minutes to get everything set up, a far cry from the 15 minutes of time she had told the Professor was necessary for her to prepare. But she had to make do. _It’s okay. You’re not late,_ she muttered to herself. 

Byleth looked at her from the podium. Her expression was calm with no noticeable trace of any other emotion, but Edelgard could see amusement dancing in her eyes.

Edelgard walked up to the podium. “I..I’m sorry, Professor,” she said in a low voice, eyes unable to meet the piercing blue. Edelgard shook her head. This won’t do. She sucked in a breath and straightened her back. “I apologize for being irresponsible with my time. I promise it won’t happen ag-”

She stopped as the blue-haired woman placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a small grin. “It’s okay,” the Professor said, her voice was monotone, yet smooth and reassuring. Edelgard could only nod. 

Byleth leaned in and Edelgard’s eyes widened. “Take a deep breath. You’ll do great,” she whispered. The older woman gave a small, cute thumbs up and walked away from the podium. Edelgard flushed pink and let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

She felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Sorry to disturb you, Edie, but I figured you’d need this wake-me-up.” Dorothea stood before her holding a disposable cup of tea, with a knowing, sly smile. Edelgard could smell the citrusy scent of bergamot as she accepted the cup.

“Thank you, Dorothea. You really shouldn’t have,” Edelgard said with a small, grateful smile.

Dorothea waved a hand. “Oh, don’t even mention it. Although...maybe I really shouldn’t have. Considering how awake you looked after your little conversation with the Pr-”

“And that bell is your cue to leave.” Edelgard said as the bell rang.

Dorothea winked. “I’ll be in the back of the hall if you need me to field any questions.”

Edelgard sighed and turned to the lecture hall and its sea of eyes. 

She took a deep breath and in her most inviting, yet authoritative voice said, “Welcome, everyone. As some of you may know, I’m Edelgard, one of the TAs for this class. I’ll be giving the lecture today.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does this story have plot? Not really. The idea of Edelgard being a stressed out, barely kept together, intellectual was too appealing to pass up. And was her attire description self-indulgent? Abso-freakin-lutely.
> 
> Anyway, I decided to make this fic a modern-ish AU but still within the world of FE3H where crests are still a thing, Edelgard's still up in line for emperor, and magic exists.
> 
> Thank you to my beta reader and fanfiction expert ( ˘ ³˘)♥


	2. The Black Eagles & Byleth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Black Eagles make their appearance, and poor Edelgard is once again subject to Byleth's cluelessness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter contains depictions of graduate students drinking. Cover thine eyes if you so wish.

“Remember, you have an assignment due Wednesday on crest mutations and demonic beasts.” 

The bell rang and students began to gather their belongings.

“And with that, have a wonderful rest of your day everyone.” Edelgard smiled and watched the students make their way out of the hall. She had done better than she had expected and finished all of the core material she wanted to get through on time -- although, Edelgard was secretly hoping to dive deep into the nature of crest stones and how to destroy them. For an extra seminar, perhaps.

It was a strange feeling, looking out into the lecture hall from the podium and seeing her teammates roam around from this angle. She was usually furiously typing away on her laptop in the back of the hall next to Hubert and Linhardt -- well, that is, when Linhardt decided to show up -- while the others answered questions. 

An overwhelming sense of appreciation and fondness swelled inside her as she observed the scene. 

“Great lecture, Edelgard. I was rather impressed,” a gentle, lazy voice came from behind her. 

Edelgard turned, eyebrows raised with an amused grin.

“Linhardt? I’m surprised you came.” She paused, “Happy, but still surprised.”

Linhardt waved a hand. “Yeah, well. Happened to wake up on time today. Did you know the back of this stage is perfect for napping? It’s nice and dark. The sound also doesn’t resonate as loudly...” His voice trailed off. Edelgard sighed.

“Linhardt.”

“Ah. Sorry, still drowsy and groggy from the nap I suppose,” Linhardt yawned. If Edelgard didn’t know the scholar better, she would’ve chalked up his propensity for napping to his PhD research and intense studies on crest removal. But this was Linhardt. And he had been napping through undergrad while still graduating top of the class to the bewilderment of many.

“He is right, Edelgard. It gave the students and me better understanding,” Petra said, appearing at the podium with a smile after answering the remaining student questions. “I am wanting to take notes for when I lecture too.” She held up a thick notebook.

“Petra, praise isn’t-”

“Necessary really,” Petra finished with a grin. “I have been knowing that saying for a while now,” she teased.

Dorothea walked up to them and slung her arm around Petra’s shoulder. “Finishing each other’s sentence is one way to make a girl jealous,” she said playfully. “Anyway, Edie I was thinking we should celebr-”

“Aha! Edelgard! Fine lecture indeed,” Ferdinand strode up to the group. “Now, I too, have been taking notes for my own learning. But if I may suggest-”

Dorothea sighed. “Ferdie.”

Ferdinand turned and bowed. “My apologies, Dorothea. I had not realized you were talking to Edelgard,” he said immediately. 

“It’s okay, Ferdinand. I appreciate your feedback and would love to hear it later today,” Edelgard reassured him.

That made Ferdinand grin. He held a hand to his chest. “Of course.”

“While that’s all good and dandy, later today we should also all head to the pub for some drinks,” Dorothea said. “Celebrate Edie’s first lecture of the quarter!”

“Dorothea, that’s hardly a reason to celebrate. I’ve given a lecture before.”

“Oh, hush.” Dorothea jokingly shot her a glare. “Goddess knows we need a break.”

“Did someone say drinks? Heck yeah!” Caspar shouted from afar.

“That is sounding nice to me too,” Petra chimed in, agreeing with her brunette counterpart.

“You don’t usually go out to bars, Petra,” Edelgard said, eyebrows raised. 

Petra shrugged, “I would like to spend time with friends.” Edelgard had a suspicion that Dorothea had already roped her into whatever she had planned beforehand.

“I-I don’t really drink,” Bernadetta squeaked from behind. “S-so I can just stay back with Edelgard.” The purple-haired Art History graduate student turned to Edelgard. “I mean if that’s a-alright with you, of course.”

“Yes, that actually sounds quite nice to me, Bernadetta,” Edelgard said, nodding. She still had a lot of work to do and had planned a block of time for transcription and wine tonight. She and Bernie were kindred silent workers, and she was rather fond of the younger woman’s company.

Ferdinand pouted. “Oh, come now. Edelgard. Bernadetta. Hubert’s coming!” He grabbed the scowling, gaunt man out of thin air and pulled him to his side.

“Hubert?” Edelgard asked, genuinely surprised.

The black-haired man gave a short, stiff nod. “Unfortunately, yes.”

Edelgard turned to Linhardt. “You’re not going, are you?”

Linhardt shrugged. “Caspar’s my ride home in the evenings.”

Edelgard sighed. The pile of books, interviews, and papers loomed in her mind. She ran through the week’s checklist in her mind: _Finish grading the students’ essays and reports, update their scores, complete the third and fourth interview transcriptions, meeting with advisor, revise pages 6, 8, 12, 15, 29, 33, and 54 of my dissertation-_. She grimaced. If she wanted to get 6 solid hours of sleep every day for the rest of the week, she couldn’t afford to waste time.

“What’s this about?” A voice came from behind the group. Edelgard stiffened.

Dorothea’s eyes narrowed and her grin grew wider. “Why, Professor! Excellent timing,” she said sweetly, glancing at Edelgard then back at the Professor. “We were just planning some good old fashion Black Eagles bonding time for today. We haven’t had a proper one in a while.” Edelgard silently cursed. _This scheming, little-_

The Professor looked at the team for a moment, head tilted. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“Well then, you must come along too, Professor!” Ferdinand exclaimed. Dorothea nodded enthusiastically.

The Professor smiled and dipped her chin slightly. “Okay.”

Dorothea turned to Edelgard, eyes sparkling. “Now Edie…”

“What time,” Edelgard grumbled. 

Dorothea’s smile widened. “8pm?” 

“Where.”

“Robin Hood’s Pub?” 

“Fine. Let’s go, Bernadetta,” Edelgard muttered before turning on her heel and leaving.

_Goddess damn it, Dorothea._

* * *

Robin Hood’s Pub was a cramped, old wooden building tucked away just past the southern end of campus. The owner, Shamir, had renovated it from an old workshed, tearing down the inside and attaching an extra open room to hold more people in the back. The extra room had no ceiling -- Shamir claimed it was to attract the “hip” crowd -- but the Black Eagles had a theory that the woman was too lazy to extend the roof. 

The place was also known for its odd interior decorations. Arrows stuck out from the old wooden walls, large old knight shields were refurbished into table tops. The drinks were served in old, tin cups and were often too strong. There was also no bathroom. It was, in short, a dingy, sorry place, but it had charm and a loyal group of patrons. 

“Well, if it isn’t the Flame Emperor herself,” the woman leaned on the counter and gave a friendly smirk. “It isn’t Thursday. Seems a little early for you to be in here complaining over some drinks.”

Edelgard turned pink and muttered at the woman, “Not now, Shamir.”

“What’s this about drinking on Thursdays?” Hubert appeared behind her with the rest of the crew, an eyebrow raised and arms crossed. “I’m not sure if your father would want the heir to his throne wasting aw-”

“Now Hubie,” Dorothea said, prying Edelgard away from the man. “Everyone needs to relax and unwind and forget about their sorry graduate lives for a while. Even future-emperors. I know I do.”

“Yes, that’s quite right. And as future Prime Minister of Adrestia, I hereby demand that you, Hubert von Vestra, relax today as well,” Ferdinand announced, leading the black-haired man to the bar. “Drinks on me.” 

Edelgard let out a bemused huff. She had already told Ferdinand her plan on dismantling the traditional system of role inheritance once she ascended the throne, but the man seemed consistently confident of his abilities and skills. She had to admit though, he was a top candidate.

A loud, excited Caspar bounced up to the bar. “How about a line of shots for everyone? Professor?”

Byleth gave a small grin and nodded, “One for everyone.”

“I-I don’t know if that’s s-such a good idea,” Bernadetta said.

“Okay,” Byleth said, nodding at Bernadetta. “One tea for Bernie and a shot for everyone else.”

Bernadetta sighed, relieved.

Linhardt lazily plopped himself on a chair. “Eh, I’ll do one I suppose.”

“Lin, adventurous are we today?”

“An adventure every once in a while is nice I guess, Dorothea.”

“I will be having one,” Petra slid into the seat next to Dorothea and Linhardt. 

“Hubert and I as well,” Ferdinand said, lifting a finger up and nodding to Shamir. Hubert mumbled something under his breath. Something about having gone soft.

Edelgard smiled. Seeing all her friends like this made her heart warm, and against her rational judgment, she didn’t miss the papers and books waiting at home for her at all. The scene before her reminded her of the time in undergrad when they first went out to a bar all together. The last of them had turned 21, and they had decided to celebrate by reserving a place all to themselves, courtesy of Ferdinand. 

**Flashback**

Caspar had been dancing aggressively on the tables. Linhardt had fallen asleep. Dorothea was at first really giggly and then at some point in the night, had taken to crying in the corner next to Petra. Petra, who had never really been affected by drinks and could hold herself better than anyone by far, sat with Dorothea, arms wrapped around the other woman, comforting her. Ferdinand had been hogging the karaoke machine all night, while Hubert stood and watched. A brush of pink splattered across his cheeks as he swayed back and forth. Bernie and Edelgard sat in the booths, buzzed, grinning and taking in the scene in front of them.

“Wait, everyone!” Caspar suddenly stopped dancing and everyone turned to him. His eyes widened, “We’ve known each other for over 4 years now…” A pause.

“And…?” Hubert said.

“And we don’t have a name!” Caspar shouted, horrified. “We don’t have a name! You’d think by now an awesome crew like us deserves, I don’t know, some supercrew name!” He slapped his hand to his face and teetered a bit.

“A name?” Petra tilted her head to one side. “I am not sure what name we would be having.”

“Come on guys! You want people to be calling us Caspar, Linhardt, Petra, Dorothea, Bernadetta, Ferdinand, Hubert, Edelgard, and Professor forever?”

“Well, I don’t mind it being _Ferdinand_ , Caspar, Linhardt, Petra, Dorothea, Bern-” Ferdinand started.

“Dorothea and Company sounds nice.” Dorothea had gotten up from her corner, eyes dried and a smile returning to her face.

“But we are not a company.” Petra said, confused.

Caspar shook his head vigorously. “We gotta do something cool. Dmitri’s crew in Faerghus calls themselves the Blue Lions. Let’s top that!”

“The Carnivorous Plants?” Bernadetta suggested.

“Brigid Pride.”

“Ferdinand and Company!”

“Hey! That’s blatant copying.”

“Enbarr’s subjects,” Hubert offered. 

Edelgard shook her head and laughed. “I object to that one. How about the-”

“Edie, if you mention something with red or fire-” Dorothea began.

“I wasn’t!”

“How about the Black Eagles?” Bernadetta piped up.

Everyone stopped and looked thoughtful.

“I like that!” Caspar shouted and Dorothea nodded.

“Me too. It is a name conveying strength and elegance,” Petra said, excited. Edelgard agreed.

“It’s the best one we’ve heard so far. Let’s just...go with that please,” Linhardt said, lifting his head up from his arm.

“Alright, then! Nice one, Bernadetta. Black Eagles it is!”

**Back to Present**

“To the Black Eagles!” Ferdinand shouted, raising his glass.

“To the Black Eagles!” Everyone said, clinking their glasses.

Edelgard smiled warmly at her friends. At that moment, she wished everyone to stay together as they were.

A mismatched, quilt-patched group of people bound together by some twist of fate.

As she downed her shot and felt the warm, burning sensation in her stomach, she knew a couple hours spent away from her work wasn’t a bad trade-off at all.

* * *

Byleth was swaying.

She observed the scene of the Black Eagles talking and laughing with a silly grin on her face. Her friends. Linhardt was draped over the counter, sleeping. Petra, Bernadetta, and Edelgard were having a pleasant, light-hearted conversation. Dorothea was singing along with Ferdinand. Hubert joined in on occasion, his voice surprisingly good. Caspar was trying to get someone to compete in another beer drinking competition. It made her feel...warm. Happy. 

That emotion was foreign to Byleth before meeting the group of students in front of her. Sure, there were times in life where she felt content, but _happiness_. That was a whole other emotion.

And they had grown up so much. Byleth felt a sudden tug in her heart and her mouth formed a straight thin line. She looked down, eyes softening. 

_I have to tell them_ , she said to herself.

“Tell who what, Professor?” Ferdinand said, slinging his arm over the Professor’s shoulder. 

“Ah, nothing,” Byleth found herself saying, internally shaking her head at the words.

“Well, let it be known that you always have an ear. Or ears. You have ears and us!” Ferdinand slurred and teetered, using the Professor as support.

Shamir popped her head in from the back. “Hey, Black Eagles. We’re closing soon.” 

Byleth nodded.

“And that’s our cue to start heading home,” Dorothea said, sauntering over. Though, she turned to Bernadetta, eyes focusing for a second with concern. “Say, Bernie, will you be alright going home?”

“Er, yes! I didn’t actually drink, a-and I brought my bike,” Bernadetta said. “I’m headed the same way as Linhardt and Caspar, so I-I’ll bike with them until we split ways.” 

Dorothea seemed reassured. “Ok, well what about you Hubie and Ferdie?” 

Hubert had his coat slung over one arm and looked surprisingly sober save for the pink dusting his face. The other was supporting Ferdinand. “We’ll make do. It’s rather a short walk,” he said.

Petra walked up beside the brunette, looking at Byleth. “We will be fine, Professor. I did not drink much, and Dorothea is safe with me. The walk is short to my apartment as well.”

Byleth nodded. If anything, she’d be afraid for anyone who dared cross Petra on their way home. They were safe.

Dorothea giggled. “Ok, well that just leaves...Edie annd...you, Professor,” she said. At the sound of her name Edelgard lifted her head from the table. 

“Wha-”

“Professor, Edie is in no way shape or form able to go home alone. You must take her home,” Dorothea stated matter-of-factly. She had walked over to Edelgard, placed her hands on the other girl’s shoulders, and gave the Professor a dramatic, imploring look.

Byleth nodded and watched the silver-haired woman slowly get up from her seat. Normally, Edelgard had an imposing, authoritative, and somewhat busied countenance, making her seem taller than she actually was. But here, Byleth couldn’t help but think she looked...her height. Petite, slim, yet muscular. She had undone one of her buttons on her silk shirt and the collar was a bit rumpled, but the shirt was still neatly tucked in. Her white hair, which was usually done in a bun or held up with a ribbon, flowed freely down to her mid-back. For a moment, she looked like a young woman in her mid-20s, unburdened by the rest of the world’s expectations. 

Edelgard frowned as she tried to find the words to tell Dorothea she was okay. “Dorothea, I’m fine,” Edelgard managed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“No, you are not,” Dorothea said. “The Professor will see that you are home safe. Isn’t that right, Professor?” 

Byleth nodded once. “Yes, last time you gave someone a black eye on your way home.” She looked at Edelgard, feeling a mixture of concern and amusement.

Edelgard opened her mouth to protest. 

“Lady Edelgard, if I may. I believe it is in everybody’s best interest that the Professor sees you home safely,” Hubert interjected, his voice resolute.

Edelgard nodded. “Fine.” She mumbled something under her breath that Byleth couldn’t quite catch, but it made Dorothea laugh and swat the emperor-to-be.

“Oh, please. You’ll be thanking me in the morning. Now go home everyone! Be safe and text me and Petra when-”

“We get home,” everyone finished. 

One by one, the subgroups left the bar. 

“Hey, princess,” Shamir said to Edelgard, as she steadied herself against the Professor. “Are you going to pay?”

Edelgard rubbed her forehead and sighed. 

“Of course.” She reached in her back pocket for her wallet when a hand brushed against hers.

Byleth shook her head. “It’s okay, I’ll pay.” 

“Prof-”

“You did well during lecture today. You deserve it,” Byleth said in a normal tone. “It’s not everyday that I can treat all of you like this.”

Edelgard smiled. Byleth couldn’t quite discern the look on Edelgard’s face. The PhD student seemed to be staring at her quite intently, but then again, Byleth was always bad at reading facial expressions. She decided it was probably the effects of the drinks.

“Ready to go home?” Byleth asked, as she finished paying. She offered an arm to Edelgard, who didn’t seem to know what to do. Her face was suddenly flushed red. _The alcohol_ , Byleth thought. _She’s allergic._ She made a note to make sure Edelgard wouldn’t drink so much next time.

After a few seconds of no response to her arm, Byleth shrugged, placed her hand on Edelgard’s back, bent down, and scooped the 5’2 woman up.

Edelgard seemed to splutter and panic. “Professor! What are you-”

“Taking you home,” the Professor said, head tilted. “Why? Is it uncomfortable?”

“N-no. I suppose not,” Edelgard muttered.

 _Her face is even redder_ , Byleth thought. _She must be really allergic. I should get her home fast._

And with that, Byleth began sprinting down the street, blue hair flying in the wind. And in her arms, a thoroughly confused and extremely embarrassed Edelgard.

Shamir leaned against the doorway and shook her head at the sight. After she watched them disappear into the night, she turned inside to close-up and sighed. “Fools. The whole lot of them.”

* * *

“P-Professor, you can put me down now.”

“Hm?” Byleth looked down at the silver-haired woman. “Oh, okay.”

Edelgard felt more awake after being slapped by the cold air while the Professor raced up the street. They were only a couple blocks away now.

Once on her feet, she cleared her throat. “I want to thank you, Professor.”

They continued to walk and Byleth was stretching. “For what?” Byleth asked, snapping back to attention.

“F-for taking me home, of course.” A pause. “And for looking out for me.”

Byleth turned to face her with a small, gentle smile on her lips. “When it’s you, I don’t seem to mind at all,” she said honestly.

Byleth looked at her with concern. _Her face is red again._

“Edelgard, are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine. Really,” Edelgard said, not meeting her eyes.

“Hm. Okay,” Byleth said, not entirely convinced. “Let me know if you want to be carried again.”

Edelgard made some sort of noncommital noise.

They continued walking down the street. The crisp wind cooling their tired bodies. Byleth closed her eyes. She liked nights like these. It was quiet. Nothing but the trees, wind, and stars. Usually, she liked to enjoy her night strolls alone, but with Edelgard, she realized she liked the woman’s company too. Byleth frowned. In a few months, she wouldn’t get to experience moments like these for a while.

“Is something on your mind, Professor?” Edelgard asked. 

Out of all her students, Edelgard had the uncanny ability of knowing when something was on her mind. Byleth let out a breath. Well, if she had to tell someone…

Byleth opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again. _How do I start_ , she thought to herself, frowning.

Edelgard chuckled and Byleth looked up, confused. “Oh, it’s nothing,” Edelgard said, waving her hand. “It’s just that. You look so...well...when you frown and stick out your lower lip like that…” she trailed off.

Byleth felt the corners of her mouth tug before she frowned again. _Tell her._

She sighed.

“Edelgard, can I tell you something?” Byleth began hesitantly.

“Of course, Professor. Anything,” Edelgard said, voice soft but full of curiosity. 

“I...I’m leaving Garreg Mach at the end of the quarter,” Byleth continued.

Edelgard’s eyes widened. “Professor, that’s hardly a funny joke. I’ve heard you tell better.”

“I’m not joking,” Byleth stated.

“Professor, please. It’s an odd time to be pulling a prank.” 

Byleth didn’t know what to say, so she stayed silent.

“...Y-you’re not joking, are you?” Edelgard’s voice was quiet.

Byleth shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

They had stopped in front of Edelgard’s apartment door.

Edelgard seemed to be at a loss for words.

“I-I don’t understand. Why?”

“It’s something I must do,” Byleth said, not wanting to offer more. The look on the emperor-to-be’s face made her heart hurt. Sure, she was sad about leaving the university, but she hadn’t expected the other woman to look at her like _this_. 

“Professor, if it’s something you need help with, I--No… _we_ can help you.” Edelgard was looking into her eyes now. Her violet eyes were intense. 

Byleth’s mouth tightened and she lowered her head. 

“Just tell me, please,” Edelgard said. The woman grabbed Byleth’s hand in her own.

Byleth’s heart quickened but she remained. “I’m sorry, Edelgard. It’s something I want to do.” She pulled her hand away and tilted her head to the door. “We’re here now,” she said quietly. “You should get some rest.”

Edelgard frowned and looked like she was about to say something. Before nodding her head once and saying resolutely, “Fine. I don’t feel like I’m in the right state of mind at the moment. But don’t forget we’re continuing this conversation, Professor.”

She unlocked her door and stepped inside, before turning to Byleth, eyes soft and tired.

“Good night, Professor.”

“Good night, Edelgard.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where is Byleth leaving to? For why?!
> 
> So these first two chapters were more set-up focused. I plan on having the next chapter answer those questions, but since this is light-hearted fic, well...there is no real angst on the horizon.
> 
> Thanks for reading everyone! Stay safe. Until we unravel more shenanigans. ( o ⊰ o)♥


	3. The Black Eagle Strike Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Operation Triple B finally begins to take action and shenanigans ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ferdibert and Doropetra sightings, ahoy! Just some minor ones though. I'm still glitching from their respective A supports...

“She what?!” Dorothea’s eyes widened in horror.

Ferdinand slammed his fist down on the table. “Impossible!”

“I am not believing this,” Petra said quietly.

“Are you sure you heard correctly, your Majesty?” Hubert placed his hand on his chin. He grimaced.

“Yes, quite sure,” Edelgard said, arms crossed.

“Leaving to Faerghus!” Ferdinand said, throwing his hands up and shaking his head.

“D-does this mean we’ll have to TA for another class then?” Bernadetta squeaked.

“I must admit this hurts to hear,” Linhardt said with a troubled look.

“Faerghus you say,” Hubert said slowly. “Perhaps it is Dimitri’s plan to recruit her by offering some sort of private teaching position for the royal family.”

Edelgard sighed. “I’m not sure of the details. When I confronted her again, she reiterated that leaving to Faerghus was something she had to do. Something she _wanted_ to do. She never mentioned anything about Dimitri. But why else...”

Edelgard bit her lip. It wasn’t like the Professor to just up and leave like that without a real reason. If Dimitri had a hand in this, just what was her step-brother playing at? What could cold, icy, wet Faerghus possibly have to offer that Garreg Mach or the Adrestian Empire couldn’t? Edelgard didn’t have time to grill the Professor into giving detailed answers, but the older woman seemed pretty set in her decision. And that, she had to admit, stung a bit. Well, a lot actually.

In truth, there was also something Edelgard was waiting to tell the Professor after her graduation. Something she’d been holding onto all these years but never thought it to be the right time. And now, she was going to miss her chance. She had come close before. A couple times during her undergraduate years on Valentine’s Day, but that seemed too commercial for her tastes. She ended up eating those boxes of chocolates herself. She came close again once during her graduate studies last year when she had boldly asked Byleth to spend her birthday alone with her. Edelgard spent the week prior building up her courage, practicing a range of “I happen to like you, Professor” to “Oh? You’ve been feeling that way too? *laugh* I’m quite flattered” dialogues in her apartment. Only to have the Professor be whisked away to some last-minute conference by Rhea.

Edelgard narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. _Fucking Rhea._ To have Byleth be whisked away by Dmitri was one thing, but _Rhea?_ The President of Garreg Mach had a weird attachment to the Professor, and Edelgard despised it as much as Edelgard despised the President herself. Though, she had to admit, her own planned confessional dialogues were retrospectively really cringy, so maybe it was better that it didn’t happen...

Meanwhile, the Black Eagles stood and watched silently as their head TA clenched and unclenched her fists in anger, slammed the table, gazed ahead contemplatively, and shook her head and blushed, all while not uttering a single word to them.

“I-is she alright?” Bernadetta asked, bewildered at the sight of the Edelgard in front of her.

“Give her a moment,” Hubert answered.

True to Hubert’s words, Edelgard snapped back to reality at the sound of their voices, and straightened her back. All the Black Eagles stood to attention. “I have a plan,” her voice was resolute, “to get the Professor to stay.”

The rest of the Eagles stared back at her. 

“How?” Caspar asked.

“Before I tell you, I need to know, are you guys willing to do this with me?”

One by one, they nodded.

“I’m in!”

“M-me too.”

“Count me in, Edie.”

Edelgard gave a small smile and dipped her chin. “Thank you. Now, let’s talk about Operation Triple B.”

“Triple B?” Petra asked.

Edelgard nodded, solemnly. “Bring Byleth Back.”

* * *

“Are you sure this is necessary?” Linhardt whispered to Edelgard in the library. He held a book up to his face so that only his eyes were seen.

Edelgard motioned for him to be quiet as she pretended to flip through a book as well. As the only two people in the Black Eagles that were PhD candidates in the Crest program, they had access to certain libraries and labs that the others didn’t. The library they were in had 8 large bookcases neatly aligned in rows from north to south. It was usually silent, as the only visitors were graduate students in the program and professors. And Edelgard knew that a certain Professor often came by to read.

The plan wasn’t to secretly follow her. No, the ex-mercenary was far too perceptive for that, and Edelgard didn’t like the idea of lurking in the dark behind the Professor’s back. Instead, she had developed a two-phased plan.

**Flashback**

Edelgard had divided the team into groups of 2 to plant themselves in locations where they could “run into” the Professor. Phase 1 was recon. Gather as much information as possible. True, they were all TAs for her class, but they were a well-oiled machine at this point, so meetings with the Professor were brief and few in number. Furthermore, lecture time and meetings were hardly places to interrogate the Professor since she was very adamant that education and learning took precedence during those times. Whatever they did, they had to do on their own time.

She had rolled out a map of the university and circled places where the Eagles had spent time with or seen the Professor before. After an hour of discussion, she assigned each group to a day and location. In each subteam there would be a main recorder to take notes and a main converser to engage the Professor. 

Edelgard scrawled the schedule on the chalkboard.

**Black Eagle Strike Force: Operation Triple B**

_Day 1: Edelgard and Linhardt - Crest Library_

_Day 2: Dorothea and Petra - Greenhouse_

_Day 3: Caspar and Bernadetta - Docks_

_Day 4: Ferdinand and Hubert - Dining Hall_

Edelgard dusted off her hands and nodded, feeling satisfied.

Dorothea looked at the board. “Edie, has it ever occurred to you, that we could possibly...I don’t know, just ask her?” 

Edelgard and Hubert looked at her, offended. Hubert placed a hand on his heart and said almost threateningly, “Do you know who we are, Dorothea?”

“We can ask her all we want to stay,” Edelgard said. “But she’s already pretty determined to leave. I’m not sure if simple, straightforward words will do anything at this point. Therefore, we have to get her to _want_ to stay _here_ instead.” Edelgard turned to the team, hand on one hip. “And that is why the recon is important. To figure out what is in Faerghus that’s so great and what we can do to make her stay.” 

“I think that is a solid plan, Edelgard! But what about our name?” Ferdinand asked, tentatively.

Edelgard raised an eyebrow. “What about it?”

Ferdinand cleared his throat. “Well, I suppose as your advisor I must tell you what I think. It’s...Black Eagle Strike Force, ah, well. How do I say this...it sounds a bit-”

“Uninspired.” Linhardt said with a yawn.

Edelgard huffed. “Well, I don’t suppose you have a better name?” Ferdinand opened his mouth.

“I like it actually,” Caspar chimed.

“Thank you, Caspar.”

“I don’t have a better name,” Linhardt said, shrugging. “Strike Force it is. I guess it is a nice quick and easy name to come up with.”

Edelgard mumbled under her breath. It took her all night of ignoring her papers to come up with that name.

After Phase 1 was complete and they had compiled and analyzed their findings, they would start Phase 2. Phase 2 consisted of dispatching each member to spend a Sunday with the Professor on their own. Whatever they did on that day was up to each individual’s planning. The only rule was they had to pick an activity from Phase 1’s findings. Something Byleth would enjoy.

This phase killed two birds with one stone. On the one hand, they could actively take part in Operation Triple B and convince Byleth to stay. On the other, if she did choose to leave, at least they would have been able to spend some quality time with her.

And it gave Edelgard time. 

She sighed. She could start a fight with Rhea without hesitation even though it jeopardized her place as a PhD student. She could wrestle bandits and ride wyverns without fear. But when it came to matters regarding the Professor, Edelgard found herself nervously dancing in circles.

 _8 weeks_ , she reminded herself. _You have 8 weeks, El. You can do this._

**Back to Present Day**

It didn’t take long for the Professor to arrive at the library. Edelgard straightened at the sight and pulled Linhardt’s arm. Her partner gave a yelp before seeing their target as well. Edelgard flipped open her small notepad. In any other pairing, Edelgard would have assigned herself as the converser, but she wasn’t sure if she entirely trusted Linhardt as notetaker for anything non-crest related. 

The Professor turned towards the south end of the library, nose deep in a brown, leather-bound book. Edelgard scanned the Professor’s face. The blue-haired woman’s expression was blank and calm as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary there. 

The Professor continued past Aisle 8. Edelgard nodded to Linhardt. _South end reading nook_ , she mouthed to him slowly. _Brown book._

Linhardt gave her a deadpan look. “I did not understand any of that.”

Edelgard sighed and pointed in the direction of the other reading nook. “We’ll go over there and find out what she’s reading.”

They got up from their seats and walked toward the Professor who looked up at them in mild surprise. _We caught her off guard_ , Edelgard noted. _Whatever is in there seems to have enraptured her._

“Linhardt, Edelgard. Nice to see you guys today,” the Professor said, closing her book.

“Professor, it’s good seeing you here again today,” Linhardt began. He motioned to the closed book. “Brushing up on some crest reading?”

Byleth tilted her head before realizing. “Ah, this?” She grabbed the book and flipped it so she could scan the backside. “I don’t usually come here to check out crest books. I’m on my 30 minute break from all the faculty meetings today,” she said a bit sheepishly, scratching her eyebrow with the other hand. “No one really bothers me here. It’s nice and quiet.”

She turned to Linhardt and set the book down. Edelgard moved a bit to the side and squinted to discern the words on the cover. 

“Yes, the atmosphere is quite conducive for studying and napping. I have stayed here many nights...” Linhardt said pensively, hand on his cheek.

The Professor chuckled. “You are quite right. Sometimes I fall asleep here too and miss meetings.” 

Edelgard grimaced. The cover was too worn out to read anything. She could make out an “E” and maybe an-

“Edelgard, you look deep in thought,” the Professor said.

Edelgard snapped her gaze back to the Professor and gave a small laugh. “Oh, it’s nothing Professor.”

Byleth tilted her head again. Her blue eyes flickered to Edelgard’s hand. “Writing down ideas for something?”

Edelgard’s eyes widened. “This? Oh, this! This is just for writing down ideas I have...for... teaching!” 

Linhardt gave her a look. _Smooth._

Edelgard shot him back a glare. _It’s very much in the realm of possibility._

Byleth bursted into a wide grin, eyes sparkling like the ocean. “That’s fantastic, Edelgard. Do you mind sharing them sometime?”

Linhardt nudged the white-haired woman. “O-of course, Professor,” Edelgard managed. 

Linhardt rolled his eyes before turning back to the ex-mercenary. “Say, Professor. Speaking of sharing, what are you read-”

“Professor! There you are,” came a voice from behind.

“Ah,” Byleth pouted. “That must be Professor Hanneman. Excuse me for one minute.”

She got up from her chair and scooted past the two students. When she was out of sight, Edelgard and Linhardt edged closer to the book that she left behind. The cover was too worn to see anything, but the Professor had earmarked multiple pages. 

_Oh no_ , Edelgard thought solemnly. _She’s an earmarker._ Nobody was perfect anyway, and old habits die hard.

The partners turned to each other and nodded, hovering over the mysterious brown object. Edelgard reached out her hand and carefully opened the book to a random marked page.

“Oh my,” Linhardt said. Edelgard’s eyes widened.

There written in large, bold letters:

**FAERGHUS’ GUIDE TO FINE TEA AND DINING: THE BEST IN THE WORLD**

Before they could recover and read anything, they heard the Professor’s footsteps headed back in their direction. Edelgard hurriedly closed the book and turned to Linhardt, her voice solemn.

“Let’s head back.”

* * *

“I am not seeing the Professor anywhere,” Petra murmured, scanning the area from the dining terrace. One arm rested on the stone ledge while the other shaded her eyes from the sun.

Dorothea peeked from behind and held up her opera binoculars. “Hm, we’re sure she visits the greenhouse on Fridays?”

Petra nodded. “I have seen her many times there planting many seeds. Sunflowers, roses, lilies…” She jumped. “There! I am seeing her come this way from the training hall.” Dorothea swiveled around and adjusted her binoculars. Sure enough, there was the Professor, making her way down south to the greenhouse. 

Dorothea stood up with a smile and deftly collapsed the binoculars into her bag. She swooped down and gave Petra a quick kiss on the cheek. “I should never doubt you.”

Petra blushed and placed a hand on the cheek where Dorothea’s lips were. Dorothea laughed and straightened her dress.

“Ready?”

“I am ready,” Petra said, strapping on her hiking backpack and tucking her notepad and pen into her back pocket. 

They both headed down the dining hall steps and towards the greenhouse. The Professor was carrying a box of seeds and plants in her arms, unable to see them from far away. When she got close enough, Dorothea swung around, knocking the first row of seed bags to the ground.

“Oh, Professor! Gosh, I’m so sorry.”

The Professor blinked, surprised. “Dorothea? Petra?”

“Apologies, Professor. Let us help you,” Petra bowed before bending down.

“It’s okay. I didn’t see you there.” Byleth gave a small, amused grin. “Your hair is very powerful, Dorothea. It knocked the whole front row.”

Petra let Dorothea continue talking to the Professor. She studied the seed bags on the ground as she picked them up. They all seemed to be of the same type. Petra flipped one of the bags over. Violet seeds. She made a mental note of it for later.

Petra got up and dusted her knees with one hand before motioning to the greenhouse. “Let us help you carry them in, Professor.” Byleth nodded with a smile.

Byleth had taken to a corner of the planter boxes for her garden. Currently, it contained just dirt, cleared and ready for a new batch of seeds. Petra and Dorothea had seen the Professor grow all sorts of things in the greenhouse. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers. Every week, they would see her zipping by in search of the Black Eagles, arms full of flowers and supplies, shoving a sunflower, carnation, or cucumber into their hands. She would always look at them expectantly and eagerly, her face flushed from all the running. At first, when they were freshmen not used to the Professor’s strange ways, they accepted the presents with bewilderment, unable to say no because of the wide, happy smile that would always form before she bolted off to the next person. 

Years later, the Black Eagles could almost time when the Professor was going to arrive with a gift. Petra was sure the number of sunflowers she received could fill the entire greenhouse itself. But the Professor’s smile never got old. And so, bewilderment gave way to graciousness. And graciousness gave way to fondness and gratitude.

However, today was different. No fruits, vegetables, nor herbs. No sunflowers nor carnations nor pitcher plants. Just violets. Dorothea looked to Petra, who shrugged, and frowned. Ever since the songstress had known the Professor, she was at least growing a few carnations every week. She would know, since Edelgard’s office was constantly overflowing with them.

“Professor,” Dorothea said while patting down some soil. “These are a lot of violets we’re planting. What’s the special occasion?” She nudged the blue-haired woman teasingly.

Byleth, who had been humming, gave a small chuckle. “Most of these are precautionary violets. I’ve never grown them before,” she said simply. She wiped her brow with the back of her hand. “This way at least one will survive.”

“Are violets your favorite flower?” Petra asked.

Byleth shook her head. “No, though I suppose I haven’t given much thought to a favorite flower.” She looked up and squinted in thought before looking back at the pair. The Professor shrugged. “I like all flowers I guess.”

“Oh, come on Professor. There has to be a few you like more than others,” Dorothea said. “You know they have meanings too. Like a red rose often symbolizes love and beauty and romance.” Dorothea held one hand to her heart while the other made a dramatic swoop in the air, flinging the dirt from her gloves onto the floor. “Oops,” she giggled. “Got carried away.”

Byleth looked thoughtful for a moment. “I didn’t know they did. I also didn’t know you were particularly fond of roses, Dorothea. I would’ve grown them for you all this time if I did.”

Dorothea waved a hand. “No, no. I was just giving an example. Besides, I’ve had enough of red roses in my day.” She gave a half-hearted laugh. Her eyes softened and she glanced down. “They don’t really mean much to me.”

Petra placed a hand on the other woman’s, which caused her to snap away from her thoughts. Dorothea returned Petra’s smile and placed her other hand on top. Meanwhile, Byleth’s blue eyes seemed to search Dorothea’s for a second before looking at the ceiling contemplatively, lost in whatever insight she had come to.

The Brigid woman turned back to the Professor, continuing from where they had left off. “Sometimes certain flowers are just bringing you joy,” she offered. “I like the sunflower because in my culture, it is a symbol of strength, longevity, and happiness.”

Byleth dipped her head. “I see,” she said slowly. A pause. “Then I will do some reading and figure out my favorite flower. To answer your question.”

Dorothea clapped her hands and giggled at the seriousness of the Professor’s demeanor. She knew they had gone off on a bit of a tangent from their original mission, but this was important too! She nodded to herself. The violets were something they were going to have to look up later. But other than that, no real leads.

As if reading her mind, Petra covered the last of the seeds with soil and stood up, brushing off the dirt from her thighs. The younger woman lent a hand, which Dorothea graciously accepted to pull herself up. Byleth stood as well and stretched, her back making a few popping sounds in the process.

Then, a realization entered Dorothea’s mind. She gasped. “Professor, have you ever been to the opera?” If Byleth was going to leave to Faerghus without having ever seen Enbarr’s finest, she was never going to forgive herself.

“No, I can’t say I have,” Byleth said, shaking her head while continuing to stretch.

“Well, we can’t have that can we?” Dorothea said. “That settles that then!” She nodded to Petra who pulled out her notepad to write the fact down.

Byleth looked at them with an amused expression. She tilted her head. “Is that for research too, Petra?”

Petra jumped and flipped the notepad closed. “Oh! I-I am writing nothing of significance. It is just interesting to me how…” 

“How many people have never been to the opera! We’re doing a survey,” Dorothea said quickly. Petra nodded vigorously.

“Oh,” the Professor said simply. “What class is this for?”

“Just for fun,” Dorothea laughed nervously. The pair were backing up from the greenhouse. 

“Speaking of research, Petra, don’t you have to-”

“Yes, I am sorry, Professor. I am having a research meeting soon,” Petra gave a small bow, strapping back on her backpack. “We will be leaving now.” And they were out the door, leaving a confused Professor with her empty box behind.

“Thoughts?” Dorothea asked her counterpart as they walked hurriedly towards nowhere in particular.

Petra bit her lip. “There were no flowers she is usually giving us today. Just violets…” She stopped and suddenly pulled Dorothea onto a bench with her. Petra unbuckled her backpack and slung it onto her lap. 

“What are you-” Dorothea began. Petra pulled out her laptop and opened up GMU’s portal page. “Ah, _clever_. You’re too smart for your own good,” Dorothea teased, smiling slyly.

“Too smart for my own good?” Petra put a finger to her chin, confused.

“Yes, because it makes me adore you even more,” Dorothea said, wrapping the other woman in a warm embrace. Petra blushed, which caused Dorothea to laugh. She let go of the other woman and scooted closer, peering at the screen. “Anyway, back to the mission.”

Petra nodded and clicked on the list of graduate student profiles. She had a vague memory that _someone_ liked violets in their undergraduate years but couldn’t remember exactly who. She had an intuition though…

_  
**Dedue Molinaro** \- Battle Tactics and Botany Masters Student. Likes: Flowers, gardening  
_

Petra chewed on her lower lip. A possible lead...but too general of a description to come to any conclusions. She scrolled down.

_  
**Claude von Riegan** \- Foreign Relations, PhD student. Dabbling in Philosophy and Battle Tactics here and there. Hi! I’m Claude von R...  
_

Petra scrolled past. Nothing of use there. Then her eyes widened. Dorothea gasped. 

_  
**Ashe Ubert** \- Herbology Masters Student  
_

Their eyes scanned down the page a few sentences:

_  
...I like a lot of plants of course, but my favorite is the violet flower...  
_

The two women blinked. Petra closed her laptop slowly. “It seems we have solved the puzzle,” she whispered. Dorothea stared off into space, nodding silently.

* * *

Bernadetta was waiting behind the stacks of crates tucked away in the corner of the stairs leading up to the dining hall. She was fidgeting with a notebook in her hand, and every few seconds, would look up in hopes of seeing an ice-blue head walking her way.

 _Oh Bernie, what are you going to do? The Professor is already at the docks. Caspar isn’t here yet. You can’t hide behind these crates forever. Plus, she’d probably find you, and if she found you, oh goddess. She’d find out what you were up to, which would break her trust. Then she’d definitely leave! And you would’ve failed, and Edelgard and Hubert would-_ She shook her head and inhaled. _No. Deep breaths, Bernie. You’re okay._ Exhale.

“Hey, Bernadetta!” Caspar said, suddenly clapping his hand on her shoulder while leaning down to catch his breath. Bernadetta jumped. “Sorry about that.” He said between inhales, “Whew! Man! This university is huge! Was running from across campus.” He jerked his thumb north.

“I-it’s okay. Just, maybe d-don’t sneak up on me like that next time?” Bernadetta said, calming herself down.

“Ah, right,” Caspar scratched the back of his neck and looked at her apologetically. “Sorry, Bernie.”

He turned to the docks, hands on his hips. “I guess no better time than now, right?” 

Bernadetta nodded firmly. “Right.”

The Professor had been sitting on the dock, wearing her black shorts and black shirt that were reserved for especially lazy Sundays. An elbow was propped up against her knee, while her other leg dangled in the water idly. The fishing pole was resting in between her legs, and she seemed to be staring off into the distance, deep in thought.

Never one to miss anything, she seemed to hear them as they walked up to her. The Professor turned, eyes widening and crinkling into a grin. She immediately pressed a finger to her lips and motioned her head towards the water. Caspar and Bernadetta nodded as the former leaned on a pillar, while the latter bent down to sit next to the Professor.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the water and sun set beneath the dusky horizon. Bernadetta wouldn’t have minded if they sat like this for a while -- she had learned to enjoy these quiet times with the Professor because the older woman just let her _be_. Caspar, on the other hand, was starting to fidget.

He crouched down to the Professor’s right ear and whispered, “Um, Professor? Sorry to break the concentration, but...what are we waiting for exactly? Is something going to bite or-”

Just then there was a tug on the line, and Byleth leapt to her feet, causing Bernie to also jump from her sitting position and step back. 

“It’s here,” the Professor said.

Her brows were knit in concentration, and sweat glistened on her temple. One hand held the rod and tugged back while the other expertly reeled in whatever was on the other side. The other two watched, entranced, as the Professor battled with the hooked sea creature.

“Woah, man!” Caspar finally exclaimed, shaking his head. He leaned his body forward and pumped his fists into the air. “Reel ‘em in, Professor!”

Suddenly, Byleth paused, giving some slack to the line before tensing once more. “It’s over!” She yelled. With one mighty tug, the fish sprang out of the water. The rays of sun danced off the water droplets and glittered on the fish scales brilliantly, and Bernadetta was sure she needed to commit this moment to memory later for drawing.

The fish finally landed on the docks with a loud _smack_ before the three eagerly peered down at it.

A Teutates Loach…

Bernadetta scratched her cheek nervously and Caspar gave a low whistle. “Better luck next time, right Professor?” he offered.

The Professor’s shoulders slumped for a moment before she unhooked the fish and threw it back into the water. She watched the ripples and shrugged. “Next time.”

She turned back to them and gave a sheepish grin, “Sorry about that, Bernadetta. Caspar. I was sure this was going to be it…” She placed her chin in her hand.

“I-if you don’t mind me asking, Professor,” Bernadetta began. “What were you hoping to catch?”

“Hm? Ah.” She pulled a small, thin hand book out of her back pocket and flipped through some pages before stopping and showing them a picture. “I was looking for this.”

Caspar’s eyes widened. “The Goddess Messenger? Aren’t those like super, super rare?”

Byleth nodded, solemnly. “That’s why Rhea gave me this.” She held up a rainbow lure from the end of her line.

Bernadetta gulped. “R-Rhea?” Oh, Bernie. How are you supposed to report this back to the team? None of the Black Eagles were particularly fond of the President, but when a particular PhD student heard this...A pair of violet, fiery eyes flashed in Bernie’s brain. Well, Edelgard’s gumption _was_ an admirable trait.

“I guess it’s kinda cool, but why do you want to catch one so bad?” Caspar asked, playing with the lure in his hands.

Byleth’s eyes sparkled. “I’ve never seen one before.”

Caspar shrugged. “Good enough for me.” He looked at Bernadetta and shrugged again. _Should we ask?_ He flicked his eyes to the Professor. The purple-haired woman nodded.

Caspar cleared his throat. He opened his mouth to speak, but just then Byleth murmured to herself. “Though I suppose it’s better luck seeing one of these in Faerghus with the seasons changing and all…”

Caspar and Bernadetta stiffened.

“F-Faerghus, Professor?” Bernadetta squeaked.

The Professor looked at them quizzically. “Yes, I heard they’re in abundance over there.” The two graduates looked at each other, eyes widening.

“S-so it’s true?” Bernadetta asked, not wanting a definitive answer. If the Professor left...she was far from finishing her proper thank-you piece that she was going to gift the woman after getting her master’s.

The Professor nodded sagely. “Yes. It says so right here.” She placed a finger on the page’s text.

Oh. Not an answer to the right question. Caspar scratched the back of his neck.

It was then Byleth seemed to register the notebook Bernadetta was clutching tightly in her arms. “Is that your sketchbook, Bernie?” she asked, curiously.

Bernadetta gasped. _Oh no, Bernie. She’s onto you! Think!_

“O-oh! W-well, you see,” she looked to Caspar who seemed to be frozen in panic, his eyes darting back and forth between her and the Professor. _You can do this,_ she thought to herself. “I-it is! I’ve been p-painting again!”

Byleth beamed at her. “That’s great to hear, Bernadetta! I’m glad you still have time to. Would it be okay if I saw some works-”

“No! I-I mean n-no, not right now. I-it’s not ready yet.” She lowered her voice. “Sorry I yelled,” Bernadetta said quickly. 

The Professor gave a chuckle. “Ah, okay. I tried painting once. Not everyone is quite adept at it like you, Bernadetta.”

“Y-you’re too kind, Professor,” Bernadetta said, nervously. They had to disengage the Professor soon, or who knows what the ex-mercenary might pick up on next. The two of them were not the best liars in the team by far.

She looked at Caspar and gave a small nod. He caught on and began walking backwards.

The Professor paused and opened her mouth to say something. For a moment, Bernadetta thought they should stay, that whatever came next would give them an opening. However, the Professor quickly closed her mouth and her eyes softened. “Well, let me know if you two ever want to go fishing or paint-”

“You bet! Will do. It was great running into you, Professor!” Caspar said, a bit too enthusiastically. “We have, um, you know, a meeting to...get..to...” He snapped his hands into finger guns. “See ya!”

“B-bye, Professor!”

The two raced up the stairs, leaving the Professor behind.

I wonder what they are all up to, she thought to herself before shrugging and sitting back down at the docks.

* * *

“Hubert!” The black-haired man turned around at the sound of his name. Ferdinand was striding through the gardens, beaming with a large cup of coffee in his hand. “I hope I did not keep you waiting.”

Hubert shook his head. “No, not at all. Though a minute more-”

“Oh, you. Jesting all the time,” Ferdinand laughed, carefully placing the coffee in the other man’s hand. “Once upon a time, I might have taken that to heart.”

“Maybe it would do you good to start again, hm?” Hubert said, trying to maintain a scowl; though, his mouth twitched upward. He had fallen into the habit of smiling more thanks to his orange-haired companion. Most days, he was grateful for the change, but his reputation as a strict, menacing TA among his students was quickly losing credibility. He sighed. Equivalent exchange, he supposed.

Ferdinand chuckled, “And maybe it would you do _you_ good to start learning how to say a simple ‘Thank you’.” He peered behind the taller man. “Is that tea for me?” 

“Perhaps,” Hubert said simply.

Ferdinand waggled his eyebrows as he accepted the tea. “A good deed never goes unnoticed by Ferdinand von Aegir.”

Hubert blushed and shifted his attention to the door behind them. “Shall we?” 

The dining hall was fairly crowded as it was close to dinnertime. Hubert glassed the room for a familiar blue head, but the amount of people made it difficult for a successful once-over. He was going to start his second attempt, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“There,” Ferdinand said, pointing to the back corner near the eastern door, his voice triumphant. “Though, I cannot see who she is dining with.” He craned his neck for a bit, but after a few seconds, shook his head. 

Hubert nodded. “Then it would be good for us to move closer.” He motioned for Ferdinand to follow him. The line for food was long today as it wrapped around the entire room, and in a few minutes, would spill out into the terrace. The two men weaved through the tables and entered the line, which gave them a better view of the Professor.

The Professor was sitting at a table in her usual attire. Next to her arm were 3 empty plates of food, all probably belonging to the woman herself. Ever since they were undergraduates, the students had been amazed by the Professor’s appetite. It made sense however, since the woman was incredibly active and always ran wherever she was going. Hubert also knew she went to Catherine’s gym often for sparring workouts. He and Edelgard went there once as the princess had claimed she wanted to “check out” the equipment there and compare it to the university’s. However, they found out it was a faculty-only gym, and upon seeing Catherine “correcting” Rhea’s punching form from behind...Well…

Edelgard never asked to go again, and Hubert was glad for it.

The line moved forward and so did the two men. Ferdinand stepped out a bit to get a better view.

“Ah, this is better,” he murmured, craning his neck again. After a moment, the man seemed to freeze. He clasped his mouth to stifle a gasp and quickly stepped straight back into line. “Hubert,” he whispered. “This does not bode well.”

Hubert grimaced and folded his arms. “Would you care to explain what you saw?” 

“It is better if you see it with your eyes,” Ferdinand said. He gently pushed Hubert out of the line to get a better view. Since Hubert was taller, he didn’t have to crane his neck to see the Professor and…

A shock of haggard, spaghetti-like hair came into view. 

_Dimitri._

The years in graduate studies were not kind to Dimitri. He had grown out his hair, which he left unkempt for days at a time. He had grown more shrewd with age and experience. And his face looked perpetually tired and gaunt. In short, he was a stereotypical graduate student.

Hubert’s eyes narrowed. _So it is true then_ , he thought to himself. Not that he would ever doubt Edelgard, but this new piece of information seemed to cement what Hubert had _hoped_ to be untrue. In all his years, he had trained himself to expect the unexpected, to steel his mind for the worst-case scenario. But in his time here it seemed his skills had grown dull and complacent, for he never imagined the Professor to be carried away so willingly in the Holy Kingdom’s arms. Not after all they’ve been through together.

“Hubert.” Ferdinand placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, bringing him back from his thoughts. “We do not know the Professor’s reasonings yet to start going down a path of doubt,” he said knowingly. He cast Hubert a gentle smile. “Shall we get closer and investigate?”

Hubert straightened and nodded curtly. He stepped back next to Ferdinand.

“Did you not bring a notebook?” Ferdinand asked as they moved up in the line, glancing down at Hubert’s rather empty, canvas tote. 

“I do not need a notebook,” Hubert said. He pointed to his head, “Everything I will relay will be noted here. It is just as reliable and cleaning up evidence isn’t necessary.” Ferdinand laughed and shook his head. That was Hubert, alright. The man only ever carried a laptop and charger in that bag anyway.

Ferdinand held his heart in mock-pain. “It just pains me that you make so little use of that nice, expensive tote I bought you. It has many zippers and compartments.”

“I make use of it everyday. I just do not carry much with me,” Hubert said, simply. Ferdinand chuckled.

As they got closer to the eastern side of the hall, both of their targets came into view. The Professor was sitting across from the soon-to-be King, hand on chin in contemplation at his words. Every so often, she would nod and talk for a couple of seconds, to which Dimitri would respond to by smiling and speaking again. The line inched forward, and Ferdinand and Hubert shifted left a bit to catch some of the conversation.

“—If that’s what you are worried about, Professor,” Dimitri said in between a laugh. “The Kingdom can arrange transportation and lodging for however long you like. I would not worry.”

The Professor seemed to ease up at his reassurance. “Okay.” She paused, looking thoughtful again. “Will there be a place for my bike?”

Dimitri chuckled. “Yes, there will be.” He glanced at his watch and sighed. “I’m sorry to cut this short, Professor, but I have another meeting with Rhea today to talk about Kingdom-University affairs.” He gave her a tired smile. “Such is life, I suppose. To never stop running out of things to do.”

The Professor nodded as Dimitri bowed and excused himself, collecting their empty plates to put in the dish bins. The ex-mercenary stood up to leave herself when she turned and saw Hubert and Ferdinand in line. The two men froze.

“Hubert, Ferdinand,” she said. “Are you two getting dinner?”

“Yes, Professor.” Ferdinand was the first to speak. “We would love for you to join us, if you still have room of course.” He finished with a playful, chivalrous bow.

The Professor chuckled and shrugged. “Sure, I have room for sorbet.” How did she have room for sorbet after three dishes? The two men weren’t sure but they accepted anyway.

“Perhaps it is best if you wait at a table, Professor,” Hubert said. “This place is getting rather crowded.”

“Yes, Professor,” Ferdinand reassured. “We will get you a sorbet. On us.” He raised an eyebrow and gave her a look that left no room for arguing, so she resigned and went back to the table she was sitting at prior. 

The two men returned with dinner plates and a peach sorbet for the Professor. They watched the woman shovel down the dessert before wiping her mouth with a napkin and setting it aside. She then reached out for her cup of water and began gulping it down.

Hubert cleared his throat. “Ah, Professor,” he began. The Professor looked at him, wide-eyed, cheeks puffed with water, before swallowing. He made a note to talk to the Professor about some of her...unrefined habits. If she were to go somewhere with Lady Edelgard...Hubert gave a smug smile. Well, he’d have to talk to the Princess about her lack of focus these days first.

“Hubert?” The Professor looked at him with concern. “Are you okay?”

Hubert fixed his gaze back on the Professor. “Yes, quite. Apologies,” he said, folding his arms. “Let’s get to the point. We noticed that you were having dinner with Dimitri prior. Care to explain?”

Ferdinand cringed. Leave it to Hubert to bluntly cut-to-the-chase. “What he _means_ , Professor, is we did not know you were well-acquainted with him.”

“Ah,” Byleth said with a small frown. She crossed her arms and placed her chin on her hand. “I’ve been meaning to tell everyone...” She bit her lip.

“You can tell us anything, Professor,” Ferdinand encouraged. He leaned into the table in anticipation while Hubert tensed.

“I’ve told Edelgard, so you may already know,” she said slowly. “But I-”

Just then, a loud vibration came from underneath the table. Hubert and Ferdinand groaned internally and relaxed their bodies. The Professor looked at them guiltily as she pulled the phone from her back pocket and glanced at the ID.

“It’s Rhea,” she said, letting out a small sigh.

“Why don’t you take it, Professor?” Hubert said.

The Professor nodded gratefully and got up from her seat. “Hello?” they heard her say as she walked outside. The two men ate the rest of their food in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

It only took a few minutes for the Professor to return. Her shoulders were slumped and she gave them an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It seems that I’m being called to the President’s office right now. Let me properly take you guys out next time.” The blue-haired woman dug in her pockets a bit before pulling out some coins and placing them on the table. “That should cover everything I think.”

Ferdinand stood up to object. “Professor, that is really not necessary-”

The Professor shook her head. “No, allow me.” She scratched her chin with a finger. “I wouldn’t make for an actual good dinner date, would I?” 

“Those things can be learned,” Hubert said, eyeing her curiously.

The Professor gave a half-hearted laugh and her eyes softened. “Next time.”

Ferdinand nodded reassuringly. “Of course, Professor,” he placed a hand on her shoulder. “You can treat us to a fine meal! But for now, your company is always more than enough.” The woman seemed to brighten at his words. She gave his hand a pat as she said her goodbyes.

After they watched the Professor leave, the two men turned to each other with matching grimaces etched on their faces.

Ferdinand sighed, hand running through his hair. “This is potentially more serious than I had conceived,” he said. 

Hubert gazed at the spot where the Professor had been eating with Dimitri earlier. “I hate to admit, but I believe you are right.”

* * *

“–And that is how we came to the conclusion that the Professor is leaving to Faerghus because,” Ferdinand paused. He clenched his fists and steeled himself, unable to look Edelgard in the eye. _This is going to hurt_ , he thought to himself. He took a breath. _But better now than later._ “Because she has developed feelings for Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd,” he finished quickly.

The rest of the Black Eagles stared at him, slack jawed. They had convened in an empty classroom late into the night when all other students had gone home. 8pm was the only time of day that worked for all of them, since their day was crammed with meetings and schoolwork.

Hubert cleared his throat. “That is not to say that it is the only reason or the reason at all for that matter. It simply is our best lead at the moment from our research.” 

The room was silent and still.

Finally, Petra shook her head and spoke up. “I am not sure if that is why. We were seeing her at the greenhouse earlier this week. She was growing many violets just for Ashe.”

Dorothea nodded. “If anything, that would indicate feelings for Ashe,” she said, fingers combing the ends of her hair – a habit she tended to fall back to while deep in thought. “Not that I believe _that_ , since she could just be simply growing them, but she’s never grown a whole box of one flower before.” She shrugged. “Dimitri’s dinner just sounded like a dinner to me. No offense to your research, of course, Ferdie. Hubie,” she added.

“That can’t be right, guys,” Caspar said, shaking his head. “She seemed pretty determined to find this type of fish thingy up in Faerghus when Bernadetta and I went to see her.”

“T-the Goddess Messenger,” Bernadetta added, clutching her notebook. “She said something about having a better chance of seeing it up there.”

“I suppose we can’t rule out any of those possibilities.” Linhardt rubbed his chin. “A couple of those would align with what we saw. She was reading about fine tea and dining in Faerghus when we last saw her.”

As the rest of the team started to brainstorm and debate, Edelgard sat at the end of the large table in the front of the room, processing all of the new information. She let herself slump a bit, propping her elbows on her knees and resting her chin in her hands. The breadth and variety of their findings could be pieced together somehow, but just _how_ was a complete mystery at this point. The Goddess Messenger clue seemed like their best lead. Although, it only explained partially why she would _leave_ to Faerghus but not why she would stay there. If it was really true that the Professor harbored secret feelings for Ashe or Dimitri...she shook her head. No, there was not enough evidence for that. She knew a part of it was steadfast denial, stubbornness and selfishness, but her imagination – which usually took its own liberties in matters regarding the Professor – would not stretch that far.

Edelgard knew that the Professor was not just some prize to be won, of course. But the Professor was someone worth fighting for, and she would be damned if Dimitri swept the woman off her feet before Edelgard even tried. 

She was Edelgard von Hresvelg, damn it. And she wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

* * *

“Professor, you look tired today,” Manuela said as the two women walked out of the meeting room.

Byleth let out a sigh. “I guess I just have a lot on my mind lately.” They turned the corner, down the hallway and past Professor Hanneman’s office and the infirmary.

“Oh?” Manuela nudged her playfully. “You know you can tell me anything. Or if there’s anything I can help you to unwind...” she said with a wink.

Byleth shook her head and she bit her lip. They turned towards the 1st floor exit. After a stretch of silence from the Professor, Manuela let out an exaggerated groan. “Nothing gets by you does it, Professor? It’d do you good to have some fun you know.”

“Fun?” Byleth blinked. “Like gardening and fishing?”

“Yes, I suppose, but it would be good to branch out a bit. To explore and enjoy the fading wonders of your 20s,” Manuela said sagely. “As your friendly physician, I recommend you try it some time. Go travel, watch a play, go on a date.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Don’t you have some plans for those kinds of fun, Professor? ”

They reached the first floor and stood in the hallway. Byleth thought for a moment. “Is vacationing considered fun, Manuela?”

Manuela clapped her hands. “Precisely! Seems like you already prescribed yourself a dosage of fun,” she said. “Where do you plan on going?”

Byleth hesitated. “Well, I’m going to Faerghus for 2 months,” she said slowly. Manuela nodded encouragingly. “But for some reason, I feel this pit in my stomach.”

“Pit in your stomach, eh?” Manuela frowned before realization dawned on her. “Say, Professor, have you ever _been_ on a vacation? I know I was teasing you before …” Byleth shook her head. “Ah, I see.” Manuela gave her a gentle smile. “There’s nothing wrong with a break once in a while. Everybody needs it.”

Byleth eased up a bit and let out a sigh of relief. “Okay. It’s just that I haven’t told the Black Eagles about it. Well, I told Edelgard, but…” Byleth’s mouth twisted downwards. “...but she didn’t take it very well.”

Manuela looked surprised. “Didn’t take it very well? I didn’t know Edelgard would be that type of girl. My, she’s more possessive than I thought...” Manuela said, the last part more to herself than to anyone. “How’d you say it, Professor?”

“I told her I was leaving,” Byleth said simply.

“...”

“...”

“Is that it?”

“Yes.”

“That you were leaving.”

A nod.

“No mention of vacationing.”

“No.”

Manuela sighed and pinched her eyebrows. “So you mean to say that you told the poor woman that you were leaving to Faerghus with no explanation or elaboration on what it was for or why. And you said ‘leaving’ and not ‘traveling’ or ‘vacationing’.”

Byleth cocked her head. “Yes, they are interchangeable aren’t they? I will be leaving the university to travel.”

Manuela groaned. “How you have come this far, I do not know.” She glanced at the Professor gingerly and chuckled. “Let me help you clear things up.”

Byleth’s eyes widened and she grinned, nodding eagerly. “You will?”

Manuela let out a dramatic huff. “It helps that you are so darn endearing, I suppose. It’s no wonder that so many students and faculty trip over themselves because of you and those damn blue eyes of yours.” Her mouth broke into a wide, scheming grin. “And it won’t hurt to give you some pointers in other areas of fun as well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter. It was definitely my favorite one to write so far. 
> 
> I left a few self-indulgent headcanons in there like Petra wearing a hiking backpack to school if she were in a modern day AU. We love a wilderness woman. 
> 
> Also, I feel like Edelgard would definitely be the type of person to practice made-up conversations with herself while pacing an apartment because she's a big dork.
> 
> Anyway, I was thinking the next few chapters would focus on each Black Eagle character and their Phase 2 time with the Professor before she goes on vacation (unbeknownst to the rest of the team). Just to explore their dynamics there and flesh out the Professor a bit more. I'm thinking the first one is going to be Dorothea.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and take care of yourselves! d( ͡o ∇ ͡o )b


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